RoadPro 12 Volt DC Inverter Review; 175
Watts, Plug-in

This type of inverter
is the kind that plugs directly into a 12-volt outlet (the cigarette
lighter style) in a commercial motor vehicle.

Our intention was to use
it only long enough for us to get a battery-connected unit
re-established.

Power Delivery

Our biggest concern was being restricted to using 175
watts after being used to drawing more electricity.

However, we were
pleasantly surprised that Vicki was able to run both our laptop
computer and cell phone recharger from a power strip plugged into the
unit which had been plugged into the power outlet.

In fact, we seem to recall even being able to power a
relatively low-wattage crock pot from this 12 volt DC inverter.

Comparing Costs and Availability

Let us address the cost of this product.

If you look at the price tag of the product in the photo above (taken in a truck
stop in February 2010), you will see that the price was $26.99. (This cost may have changed since then.)

You can order this from Amazon.com -- with whom we have an affiliate relationship -- for the price shown.

Now in our case, we needed the product in Mike's
truck right away.
We couldn't wait to obtain our product, so we were willing to pay the
extra $6 (not including tax).

However, if you're planning to order online, make
sure to factor in the cost of shipping in your calculation.

Reliability

This product has never failed us in-truck, given the
applications
for which we used it. We do not know what would have happened if we had
tried to draw more power from it than it was capable of delivering.

According to Amazon.com, this unit has a low battery
alarm. We never let our truck batteries' charge run down so low that
the
alarm came on.

We have run the device strictly from battery power. We have
also run it
overnight to operate an AC-powered appliance like a fan.

Operation

When this DC to AC power inverter is plugged
in, a built-in
fan comes on (we imagine to keep the unit cool).

The whirring of the
fan is pretty quiet. In fact, more than once, we awoke and went about
our duties in the truck without remembering to unplug it because it was
so quiet.

Other Applications

We have used a 12 volt DC inverter in our personal
automobile in the past and it worked just fine.

Money saving tip: If
you have to buy the product at a truck stop and you have the luxury of
time to do comparison shopping between them, then shop for and buy the
lowest cost product. If all products are the same, then the lowest
total cost is your goal. Remember to factor in state and local sales
tax.

If you buy online, don't forget to factor in
shipping costs.

There are different brands of cigarette lighter
style inverters on the market. You may wish to compare features.

Remember what happens if your product is purchased
at a truck stop with a limited return period or an exchange-only policy.

Review the warranty period. Some RoadPro(R)
products have only a limited 90-day warranty. Evaluate for yourself if
this is satisfactory.

A 12 volt DC inverter is much lower in cost than a
battery-connected inverter that can deliver more wattage. If your needs
are simple and your power requirements are low, then the less expensive
product may work for you.

Bear in mind the portability factor of this
product. If you have multiple 12-volt outlets in your vehicle, you may
be able to move the device around.

In one of the trucks that Mike drove regionally, the
12 volt outlet on the dash did not work.

So, we plugged the inverter in a
different outlet and connected a power strip to it to let us have power
in the front seats.

We have never tried using multiple 12 volt DC
inverters plugged into multiple 12 volt outlets in a truck. Although it
shouldn't, don't be surprised if something overloads.